West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1887-04-14
SEWING RAG CARPETS.
ny HELE, FORREST GRAVES.


il was small, unpaintcd house. stained
an lndcscrlbablc hue by tho suns and roins
ol ha'i century row Of stiff. Lombar.
dy poplors in front, and beneath the win.
uows' IN a narrow bed outlined by strjns
OF board, blossomcd four o'clocks. ;youth
ana old age, and "audv African mari.
gods, which seemed TO hold up their or.
snge torches with a distinctly defiant mir
Hrgen paper shades vciicd the windows
ana knockcr with au eagles head
hung IN tho upper centre OF the door.
ENrry one has seen such houses along
the country roads where the Queen Anne
craze has not Yet penetrated and orchids
ana Japancse foliage plants are un.
Miss FosSctt and her niece. Mary Ann
sat IN the little front room sewing rof,s
for "a carpet. A bright wood fire crackIed
and snapped in the aiI-tight stove for All
though the sun shonc bright ON the ACri.
can margoldS and four-o'clocks there
was keen wind blowing. and the dead
leaves were carried IN ali directions Tbo
car was asleep among the balls OF RAGS
winch made parti colorcd mountain In
ono corner OF the room, and the wooden
clock tucked shrilly on the shelf ALONGSIDE
OF case of dried butterflies and plaster
oi paris parrot with broken bcak,
M. .sS FoSsctt was elderly and snare.
with false front, which did not in tbc
least match her back hair, and spccto,1rs
Mary Ann was slight and gracefully
rounded with dark, solemn eyes. and lips
reddcr than wild raspbcrrics.
10 Miss Fossctt everything in the world
was subsidiary, just at present to the fin
lshlng OF the carpet sewing. To Mary
Ann there was nothing in all the universe
which was actually impossible. There is
just this difference between sixty and six
teen.
II was a-calculatin'," Miss Fossett
droned on, rs she drew the swift needle
IN and out, ITO get this one Garnet wove
aiore snowfall, but / guess it'u be n
close shave now. / didn't know if I
could get my spare chamber carpetcd
but that the school ma am might como
mere to board; and three dollars q week
IS three dollars week in these times"
eS, know, aunty, " said Mary Ann
and why shouldn't she comet we shall
soon nave the carpet ready FOR the loom.
ana, IN tic meantime, why shouldn't She
be satisfied with rug or two laid down
by the bed and in front Of the burcmr2''
Haven't you hccrd - said Miss FoSsctt
STOPPING 10 regain her spool Of linen
thread, which had rolled away under the
cats snug resting place The school
ma am going 70 bc married, and the new
teacher-Elldb Ray-hc boards TO hum
don't b'fcvc he'll get along better than
Miss Marston did, If he is "a man -tcacher 50
Mary AIMS eyes lighted up.
ITO be marriCd?'' said She.
Yes nodded Miss Fossctt
no is she going 10 marry, Aunt
"Our next ncigbbor' said Miss Eos
sctt grimly.
Mr. FairwVathcry'
~ cs, Mr. Fairwcathcr. II beats all g'
Miss Fossctt addcd-'to think Won
shouldn't a hecrd it aiorc nowl Wbv
shes gOin' TO hcv "a d0vc-colored silk
dress from Bridgeport, and store hat
trimmed with stuffed birds and real
brochay shawl Must ma laid up sight
o'mOncy, ] should s'p1sc."
Mary Ann was silent. II wasa question
whether or not She heard the stream Of
pdlc chatter that flowed uniutcruptedly
from hcr auuts lips.
Forherscri she scwcd away. and uttered
never word
John Fairwcathcr TO be married 20
Aida N1r,tOnl The news had fallen like
thuuduholt into the peaceful serenity
or her heart
In novels she had read. many time
aud oit, of the duplicity of man. but the
TACT had never come so ucarhome before
Tho two women scwcd diIiucutlvat the
carpet rags until dust Miss Fosectt had
no ld'a That amy one could desire rcst
from so delightful an occupatiop and
Mary Ann scarcely knew what She was
doing A sort of stupor seemed to numb
her senses.
Cues we'd bctterstop "a spell now.
taid thc old lady. tJ Just YOU run ont to
the well and iill the kettle and I'll set
ont thc apple sass and doughnuts and ril
bscults We won't hCv no regular meal.
being there's such a hurry with the
rags.
Mory Ann stuck her needle into ono
OF tht red-fanupl leaves OF the housewife.
which was fashioned like a miniature
book dropped her thimble into ohcrpock-
et and vanished
She did not go straight to tho well
though She stole mp tho winding
wooden stairway first into her own room.
where the yellow glow Of tho sunset vet
fingered, and took two or three dried
roscbuds and a spng Of scented eeraniuni
from little box in the corner Of the
table-drower
Looking 90 them for moment. che
opened the window or q flung them out
iato the grass below